LIFE IN THE INSECT WORLD. 119 



famishing with hunger. The whole that were 

 brought to the tent at this time were cooked 

 while alive, as indeed they always are, for a 

 dead locust is never cooked. The manner of 

 cooking is by digging a deep hole in the ground, 

 building a fire at the bottom, as before described, 

 and filling it up with wood. After it is heated 

 as hot as is possible, the coals and embers are 

 taken out, and they prepare to fill the cavity 

 with the locusts confined in a large bag. A 

 sufficient number of the natives hold the bag 

 perpendicularly over the hole, the mouth of it 

 being near the surface of the ground. A num- 

 ber stand around the hole with sticks. The 

 mouth of the bag is then opened, and it is sha- 

 ken with great force, the locusts falling into the 

 hot pit, and the surrounding natives throwing 

 sand upon them to prevent them from flying off. 

 The mouth of the hole is then covered with 

 sand, and another fire built upon the top of it. 

 In this manner they cook all they have on hand, 

 and dig a number of holes sufficient to accom- 

 plish it, each containing about five bushels. 

 They remain in the hole until they beccme suf- 

 ficiently cooled to be taken out with the hand. 



